Award of the German Record Critics

07/13/2015
Hi friends.
We have just received the Award of the German Record Critics (Deutschen Schallplattenkritik) for the third time.
After recieving this prestigious award 2010 for our „O Town Grooves“ and 2014 for „X-Ray Blues“ we have now been awarded for our latest production „Ain't nothing but....“.
The jury of this award consists of renowned German music critics. The Award is presented quartely in respective categorys.
This will be the first time that a band has received the award for three consecutive albums.
Here the statement from the Jury….
The Blues Company: Ain't Nothing But …
CD + DVD, in-akustik INAK 9135
This CD, available in a limited edition or as a set with dvd, offers not only a beautiful cross section of the bands current live programm. It also stands out through high quality audio and video material. But most important is that the Band, through its headphone based „Silent Concert“approach, offers its audience a perfect live sound . In this field the Blues Company are trailblazers and this certainly makes „Ain't nothing But a very exceptional release. (For the Jury: Karl Leitner)

another YouTube vid

Silent Night and Red Blood on Youtube....

Our good friends, K.P & M.A. Thiemann , have released Silent Night ,Red Blood and an interview with Tosho and Mike on Youtube...in stereo and first class audio. Thanx.

Blues Co in TV.

08/22/2010
18.03.2010

The NDR network recorded our release party at the Blue Note Club. The report will be on air 22 March at 11pm on „Kulturjournal“ NDR3.
The show can also be seen at...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xjL48vYFsU

Here's the official notice.

„The best Blues is from Osnabrück – Blues Company's new album.
Germanys most successful and longest standing Bluesband has been on the road since over 30 years with classic down home Blues present their new album „O'Town Grooves, O'Town being a short form for Osnabrück, a town name most american artists who have worked with the Blues Company over the years had trouble to pronounce. The „Kulturjournal“ will be bringing a portrait of Bandleader and founder Tosho Todorovic.

German Record Critics Award

08/22/2010
19.05.2010

We are proud to announce that „O'Town Grooves has recieved the German Record Critics Award in the category Jazz & Blues. Are we proud? Yes we are!!!!

Blues Louis for Toscho !!!!!

08/22/2010
19.05.2010

Tosho has been elected to recieve Germany's most prestigious Blues award, the „Blues Louis“ (named after Louis Armstrong), at this years Lahnstein Bluesfestival on the 24-24. September.

Blues Company Double „Best Of“ Cd has arrived.

10/08/2009
Both „Best Of CD's - „Blues Ballads and Assorted Love Songs“ , together with „More Blues Ballads and Assorted Love Songs“ for an unbeatable price.

Best choice for all new fans who wish to catch up on the band's past 20 years.

Blues Company News.

08/26/2009
Hi folks

On the 10.08. we helped organise a charity concert for the local music schools. The event was a great success, gathering in well over 10 000 € donations.

The money will be used to purchase Rock 'n Roll instruments for kids who cannot afford instruments for themselves, giving them the chance to persue a creative hobby.

The band was very busy.

At the end of September our new double CD will appear.

The „2 in 1 Collection“ consists of our Best of CDs, „Blues Ballads And Assorted Love Songs“ and „More Blues Ballards And Assorted Love Songs“, being the definate collection of the finest Blues CO. Songs of the last 22 years.

We have been working on our next CD since the beginning of the year. It will be released in Febuary 2010.

Over the last months we have presented most of the new songs live at our concerts and let the fans applause decide which songs make it onto the album.

Most of the material is on tape and I'm very enthusiastic about the results. We have managed to capture almost all styles of modern Blues from solid Blues Rock and emotional ballads, over to Soul and R&B dance tunes. Most of the songs were recorded with double bass, presenting a new warm sound that is sure to catch the ear of our audiophile freinds, giving them something to look forward to.

We are planning to invite some freinds to take solos on some tracks. We cannot disclose more at the moment, but in the end some very famous names should be among the credits.

Have a nice summer.......

Tosho aka Rockin' T

Arnold Ogrodnik endorses Maruszczyk Basses

11/23/2008
Arny Ordodnik has recieved a Marauszczyk Bass endoresmemt.

At the moment, a custom „Jake“ model is being built to Arny's exacting specifications.

Ich hab den Blues schon etrwas länger

10/16/2008
An interresting book about the German Blues Scene has appeared and I would like to recomend it to all BluesCompany / Blues fans.

In “Ich hab’ den Blues schon etwas länger“ (The Album and a song title of Blues Company’s 1982 LP with German lyrics), renowned publishers, musicians and insiders portray the scene in over 50 contributions.

„Company of Blues“ wins award.

10/08/2008
Germanys best Blues Company coverband, the “Company of Blues” has been awarded the “2008 German Rock and Pop Award” in the category best R+B band.

Congratulations from Tosho, Mike, Robert, Uwe, Floh, Arny and Harti.

First reviews out for the new CD

10/03/2008
Blues News, Oktober 2008

Following up “Blues Ballads and Assorted Love Songs”, Germanys oldest and most successful Blues Band releases its second “Best Of” album, and adding merely a “More….” To the predecessors title, present an excellent excursion through the past 11 years .

Not all tracks come in the original album versions, three of them being recorded live at the B&W Festival in Halle with an eight piece horn section creating a “Big Sound” as Todorovic comments in the additional booklet.

As could be expected from the sound freaks from the Blues Company’s label INAK, all tracks come in perfect Hi-Fi quality. And as Todorovic promised, - The live recordings from Halle make an outstanding impression here.

All in all; - A comprehensive display of the Blues Company’s progress over the past 11 years. It comes in a well illustrated, 20 page booklett, including all song lyrics.

Another review :

Blue Rhythm 11/2008

The release of a second “Best Of” is in itself a sign of quality and a great exception for a Germany Blues Band.

The Blues Company, formed 1976, counts among the few creative monuments the Germany Blues scene ever produced.

This follow up documents the class of the band surrounding frontman Todor Todorovic. Songs with depth (all lyrics in the cover booklet), intelligent arrangements and sounds.

The three live tracks included were recorded with an 8 piece horn section and underline the high standard this band has reached performing their style of music.

With this album coming from the “Sound Freak” label INAK, Hi-Fi fans can be sure to lean back and enjoy this brand of Blues.

More Blues, Ballads And Assorted Love Songs is now availabe

08/25/2008
Hi.

Our new Best Off CD is now availabe in our online shop.

As promised, here are the “Best” song of the past 11 years since 1997! We also wanted to offer something new and decided to record a few songs live with an 8. piece hord section, the XXL Horns, to give you our interpretation of “Quincy Jones meets Blues Company”.

A new „Best Of“ CD to be released shortly.

06/12/2008
Hi folks

Just want to inform you that a new “Best OF” CD is to be relesed in September.
This compilation will be our 26th release. It will contain the best studio recordings of the last decade and is to be named “More Blues Ballards and Assorted Love Songs”. As a bonus, we will be including three live tracks, recorded with the XXL Horns.

As soon as the CD is available we will notify you on this site.

review from Spain

06/03/2008
One of the most interesting and experienced actual German bands. The Blues Company appeared on the blues scene in 1976. Although different changes on the band, they sound really effective, as they keep a personal stamp, perhaps due to the continuity of one of the founder member. Todor ‘Tosho’ Torodovic, who is the song writer, singer and guitar player. Todor uses different guitars which makes him get a bright chromatic quite different tones he employs in harmony with the type of song he plays. This time Torodic has chosen a Gibson L5 and a Fender Stratocaster with Fender Tone Master and Fender Pro Junior amps. The cd gathers eleven varied songs, intense and passionate but, over all, with a lot of groove and an incredible swing. VERY GOOD.

La Hora Del Blues, Barcelona

more clips on youtube

05/29/2008
Greetings folks.

We have 3 new clips on YouTube. They were taken from our ’96 released video “Live 1996”.The Video is not availabele anymore!

More clips will follow in the coming days.

Rockin T

Arnold Ogrordnik is the Blues Company’s new bass player !

05/21/2008
After 15 years, Olli G has sadly left the Blues Company to concentrate on his various musical projects.

From now on, Arnold Ogrodnik will be responsible for E-Bass, Double Bass and Organ. Arnold is 31 years (young), hails from Poland and is at the moment studying Jazz Bass and Jazz Guitar at the Conservatory Osnabrück.

We are looking forward to his contribution and can assure you – this guy spells “Groove” with a capital G!!

another us-critic

04/02/2008
I had never heard of The Blues Company, until recently. Have you? The band has been in existence since 1976. It is not because they are not a good band. They are a fabulous band! And it is not because they have not released any music. It is because this band is from Germany, and sometimes it takes a while for European music to cross the big pond. Their latest CD is Hot And Ready To Serve. Doin’ It Right is the song of choice. It is hot and ready to serve. However, the song is a big helping, 6:04, so you may want to fade around 4 and a half. This song has some good harp in it, and some strong guitar work. You will also want to try Shake It Don’t Break It. I would say it is almost a smoothie, but not quite. In any event, it is a good song and should work anywhere. The Blues Company has demonstrated tremendous staying power over the years. The band’s co-founder, Todor “Tosho” Todorovic, was born in northern Germany. His parents, who were born in Yugoslavia, fled to West Germany after the Second World War. Tosho not only plays the Blues, he breathes it. In 2006, the multi-award winning American film producer and scriptwriter, Ian Gurvitz, asked to use one of their songs, Blue And Lonesome from the album, Keeping The Blues Alive, as the theme song for his film, L.A. Blues. It was the first time that Hollywood had ever used a Blues song from Germany.

Mike Titre gets a Gretsch endorsement.

03/26/2008
Mike Titre is spotlighted as endorser in the new Gretsch 125 year anniversary catalog.
On stage, Mike plays the legendary White Falcon and a 6120 Chet Atkins model.
The Gretsch anniversary catalog can be downloaded at www.gretschguitars.com.

Hot And Ready To Serve on US- Radio

03/18/2008
We have just been notified that „Hot & Ready to Serve“ was Nr. 6 on the WEMU (Michigan Public Radio) January playlist, following “Roomfull of Blues”, “Lurrie Bell”, “Betty Harris”, “Bettye Lavette” and “Sharrie Williams”.

Blues Company SACD trading for top prices.

02/13/2008
Blues Company’s sold-out SACD for the diserning High End listener “Then and Now”, is currently fetching top prices at auctions.

The SACD has just changed owners for 245 British Pounds( = 330,-- Euro, or 480,-- Us-Dollar) at an auction in England.

The 2008 T-Shirt has arrived!

02/13/2008
The first sun rays remind us that spring is near and that it’s time to order the Blues Company 2008 T-shirt creation.

All those of you who join us in our conviction, that the Blues is not an exclusively Afro-American art, shouldn’t miss this chance to share their nobel semtiment with the world in general. - BLACK? WHITE? BLUES!

Only available at Blues Company Shop or Concerts.

Here the first critic from the US

12/19/2007
CD Review: Hot And Ready To Serve – The Blues Company
December 18th, 2007 by Simon Barrett

It never fails to amaze me, the music out of Europe is often better than the original styles developed this side of the pond. The Blues is uniquely Southern States, a lush style that incorporates many instruments, and that oh so distinctive vocal style. Well folks, I got bad news for you, we are being out ‘Blue-sed’ by Germany!

Blues Company is one of the longest lasting blues band in Europe, and without doubt both the most famous and successful. This new CD Hot And Ready To Serve goes on sale in the US in January 2008, and if you are a fan of the blues, you will certainly want this one in your collection.

This is a CD that you want to pop on the player when you have guests over, and when they ask “Wow that music is really good, who is it?”, you can nonchalantly say “Oh that’s the Blues Company, they are from Germany”.

The band is huge, its not so much a band, it is more like a whole movement. Every track is different, and every track is endearing. I will be the first to admit that ‘blues’ maybe their world, but they expand that definition with tracks like ‘Plastic People’, this is fine rock-n-roll, and a song that any band would be proud to own. The guitar riffs are outstanding, and the vocals just get you singing along!

Great CD, I hope it gets some serious attention over here. Our own homegrown bands have become complacent, so I think a little ‘off shore’ competition is a good thing.

Simon Barrett
www,bloggernews.net

Tip Of The Month

10/28/2007

Hi,

“Hot And Ready To Serve” will be presented as “Tipp of the Month” in Oktober by the High End Society:

Link

Hhtp//www.highendsociety.de/deutsch/cds_shop/highended.php

Hot And Ready To Serve in the charts.

10/28/2007
Within 2 days of release, “Hot And Ready To Serve” reached position 2 of the Amazon, and position 1 of the JPC sales charts.

The JPC charts include at position 15 our acoustic CD “The Quiet Side Of…” and at position 18 our 2003 release “From Daybreak to Heartbrea”, making this the 4 continuous year the CD has been in JPC’s top 20!!

Blues Company on My Space

10/06/2007
Hi
We now can be found on My Space :
http://www.myspace.com/thebluescompany

New Endorsment

10/03/2007
Mike and Tosho will soon be using Peavey’s ultimate Blues amp.
The Peavey Delta Blues 115 has 30 Watts all tube power, one 15 inch speaker and reverb as well as a tremolo unitt.

High End Compilation

10/03/2007
The track „Kids“, from our new CD, has been chosen by the HIGH END SOCIETY to appear on their up coming compilation CD that will be released this fall.

Nominated on german TV

09/24/2007
We are nominated for German Television’s ZDF „Deutschlands Bests“, as Best Musicians. The voting list is now open. The programm will be on air on the 21’st of November.

So if you don’t want another beerhouse Umpah band to win, please place a vote for us. Here’s the link.

hhtp://musiker.unserebesten.zdf.de/main.php?selection=B

Benefit concert in Enningerloh !

09/24/2007
News for all fans from Enningerloh and vicinity.

On the 22nd of Febuary, 2008, we plan to stage a substitute gig at the Enningerloh OLYMPIA HALLE for the concert that was postponed this June due to a thunderstorm.

We’ve decided to stage the whole event as a Blues Benefit Festival. We will be supported by Mr. TOM VIETH and his Band and the fantastic SOUL FOOD SELECTION.

The artists and crews involved will donate all the proceedings to a charity organisation. Additionally to singing about refugees (Red Blood) or street kids (Kids) we now have the opportunity to help improve their material situation .

Here’s the link to the organisation “Kleine Herzen” (Little Hearts)

http://www.kleine-herzen.net/

Newsarchive

09/19/2007
8/9/2007

At long last – This is our new CD!

The official release will be on Freiday 26. Oktober 2007.

If you want to check out the new tunes in advance, go to out "Discography" site.
Those wishing to be among the first to receive "Hot and Ready to Serve" can advance order in our online shop.

Have a nice holiday everyone!

6/27/2007
We just finished mixing the final tracks for our latest CD production a few weels ago and are now concentrating on the cover artwork. As soon as we have a release date we will let you know.

We just got back from the Voxtock Blues Festival in Belgrade. The Belgrade Bluesclub, Vox, has over 600 members and the festival was attended by over 2000. During my 3 day stay I was kept busy with interviews for the local press, 2 one hour radio shows and 10 TV interviews! The festival was covered by 4 TV stations. And in case you didn't know; - Those Serbs know how to party!

6/17/2007
To all fans who showed up for the concert in Enningerloh; - Due to a freak thunderstorm the stage and all our equipment, including rare vintage instruments, were flooded and it was impossible for the band to perform. We are still accessing the damage.

We are planning to make up for the missed concert, this time indoors at the Enningerloher Olympiahalle. Check our homepage and the local press for dates.

5/25/2007
INAK has just released our acoustic CD "The Quiet Side…." As a High -End 180 gramm Vinyl LP for all those sound fetischists among you.

Check it out in our shop!

5/23/2007
One more reminder that our recordings with the NDR Bigband will be on air coming Friday 25.05.2007, between 22.05 and 23.00 hours on NDR INFO. Those fans who can't receive NDR can hear the recordings in Internet under the link –

http/www.ndrinfo.de/livestream2.html?typ=real&loc=int

4/6/2007

Anybody wanting to purchase our Music in the Internet can download all INAKUSTIK recordings at MUSICLOAD.DE.

3/15/2007
One more U-Tube Video

"Cold Rain", recorded during the Osnabruecker "Maiwoche" can be seen on U-Tube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m87ird=s13a

2/13/2007
Blues Company feat. NDR Bigband Horns

In January we recorded ten takes with the NDR Bigband horns. These recordings are intended only for airplay and will not be released on CD. We will keep you informed as to when they will be on air. Everyone who wants to preserve these fantastic recordings should get their recording equipment ready.

1/15/2007

Hollywood imports German Blues

The Blues Company song "Blue and Lonesome" has become the title score for the Hollywood film "L.A.Blues". Producer and Author, Ian Gurvitz, chose the song from the Blues Company live CD "Keeping the Blues alive as leading score for his new film. Gurvitz' production firm has obtained the rights to the tune from In-Akustik, the Blues Companys record company in South Germany. This is the first time a German Blues song has been imported by Hollywood.

The link is:

http//labluesthemovie.com

16/6/2006

New articles in the shop!

Check out two new articles in our online shop.

1) Jubilee T-Shirt! This one is grey with a golden imprint "Est 1976", on the background of a Dobro guitar. Price 16€

2) A new DVD. This is a sampler including a 64 page book full of first class photos and information from the 2004 "Halle Blues Festival". Blues Company is included with 5 tracks together with the XXL horns (8 piece horn section). Additional artists are Bernhard Allison, Ana Popovic, Rudy Rotta and Christian Willisohn feat. Lillian Bouttè. Book and DVD cost 25€

6/15/2006

Blues Company celebrates ist 30'th birthday!

It's our 30'th Birthday folks! We had a great time celebrating with our fans during the extensive jubilee tour.

The main event took place on March 21st, exactly 30 years after our first appearance , together with the compleat hornsection of the NDR BigBand before thousands of spectators on the Osnanbrücker Marktplatz. As you can imagine –We all had a ball!!!

Additioally, we released a new CD. This time we left our electric equipment in the garage and recorded our first completely acoustic CD. It's turned out perfect, is soft and mellow and we named it fittingly – "The Quiet Side of the Blues Company".